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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26911024">Bechloe Week 2020</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/when_you_know_you_know/pseuds/when_you_know_you_know'>when_you_know_you_know</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pitch Perfect (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Domestic Bliss, F/F, Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:16:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,791</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26911024</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/when_you_know_you_know/pseuds/when_you_know_you_know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Using the prompts from Bechloe Week 2020 which ran from Sunday 26th July - Sunday 2nd August 2020<br/>However, this year I asked my followers to suggestion 'AU's' to use alongside the official prompts.<br/>- Homophobic Family 'AU'<br/>- Medieval AU<br/>- Babysitter AU<br/>- Support Group AU<br/>- Spy/Undercover AU<br/>- Neighbours AU<br/>- Western AU<br/>- Mafia AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chloe Beale &amp; Beca Mitchell, Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Friends With Benefits</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Can you believe that Stevie’s <em>Mom</em> was caught screwing their <em>maid</em>??”</p><p>Chloe’s ears prick up, and although her eyes are kept firmly on the pie she’s carefully trying to dish out onto five seperate plates, her entire focus is on the conversation her eldest son is currently having with his two brothers and his father. All four men sit at the dining table after a long day at work and school respectively. Tall strapping men with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The sons looking like almost exact replicas of their father when he’d been seventeen and fifteen, save for their eyes. They had their mother’s eyes.</p><p>“Another woman??” the youngest Walp boy replies in disbelief, “<em>Fuuuck.”</em></p><p>“Language.” Chloe chimes out for the millionth time that day, her sons still all terrors for swearing as much as their father. He may be okay with it, but she wasn’t. And she was their mother so…</p><p>“<em>Gross</em>.” adds the middle child, his nose wrinkling, taking a swig from a bottle of beer that his parents allow him and his brothers to have on a Friday evening. “God imagine catching <em>Mom</em> with another woman.”</p><p>The three Walp teens grimace, not noticing the huge clatter their mother makes when she accidentally drops the serving spatula on the floor. But their father notices and Chloe’s cheeks suddenly flush while a wave of heat overwhelms her body. And it has nothing to do with her menopause.</p><p>
  <em>“Can I ask you something?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Chloe stands with her back against her best friend’s fridge, her arms tucked behind her in an attempt to prevent any urge she has to stroke a hand across the woman’s back. Beca is stood nearby, concentrating on chopping potatoes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah of course.” Beca replies in a distracted tone, stood on her tiptoes, trying to use the higher angle to push more force onto the knife to help her cut the vegetables a little easier. Chloe tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, glancing briefly over at her twins playing an Xbox game, sat with Beca’s sons in the lounge.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do you remember after college, in Brooklyn, when we used to…you know…help each other out?” Chloe’s delivery of words is cautious and she sees the fifty year old beside her very obviously pause her actions, looking down at the food she’s chopped as she processes what Chloe has said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeeeeah?” Beca replies in a tone that’s mixed with curiosity and confusion, and she slowly looks over at the redhead (who’s hair colour has admittedly faded to more of a strawberry blonde the older she’s got, with occasional strands of grey).</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well I um…” Chloe pauses as her eldest son steps into the kitchen, a flustered smile on his face as he nudges his mother to the side.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Sorry Mom, Stevie’s wanting a water.” he mumbles, reaching into the fridge to get a bottle of water. Chloe is gently shoved into Beca who stands her ground, and she presses herself against the brunette while they watch her son closing the fridge door again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You can tell Stevie that at seventeen years old she can get her own damn water!” Beca barks after the teen as he scuttles out of the kitchen to dash upstairs, back to his girlfriend. An amused grin remains on Beca’s face. Both women are low-key thrilled that their respective eldest kids are dating. Though Chloe’s son is an absolute sucker for the beautiful young brunette, doing literally anything and everything for her. And Stevie knows it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Sorry, what were you saying?” Beca asks, though her body is still pressed against Chloe’s and Chloe can tell from the rate Beca’s chest is rising and falling that the woman is excited. Or nervous.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I need some help.” Chloe confesses quietly, looking over at her other kids before resuming her focus on Beca, this time on the woman’s deep blue eyes, “Chicago and I haven’t…I just need some…” she pauses to let out a heavy exhale to try to ease her nerves, squeezing her eyes shut for a brief moment before flinging them open again, “…you always knew the best way to release me.” her eyebrows rose as she looked a little more intently into her best friend’s eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But she needn’t have worried. Beca knows exactly what she means. And a small amused smile pokes into the corners of Beca’s mouth as she rocks her body slightly against Chloe’s.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What makes you think I’d be okay with that after all these years?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Because I overheard Jesse telling Chicago the other day that you guys hadn’t had sex in over a year.” Chloe mumbles, her eyes flickering down to Beca’s lips then back up again, “So I reckon you could benefit from this just as much as me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Is that so.” Beca mumbles in return, and had their respective sons not just yelled very loudly at the TV, reminding the mothers they weren’t alone, Beca and Chloe probably would’ve draw their faces a little closer, powering up their teasing game that little more. “Then I guess you’d better follow me to the studio..”</em>
</p><p>“That’s enough boys.” Chicago tells their sons, though it’s more to remove the image he has burnt into his mind. He too grimaces, taking a large swig of his own beer, looking down at the table just as Chloe places a plate of pie in front of him.</p><p>
  <em>“I’m telling you, man. It’s the best thing I’ve ever bought.” Jesse brags, a grin on his face as he strides through the house from the back yard. Chicago follows him, a grin on his own face. They are due to go fishing at the weekend and Jesse has just described to Chicago the new rod he’d bought the previous weekend. Chicago’s keen to see it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As the two men approach the studio at the back of the Swanson house, they notice the door is closed. Chicago doesn’t think much of it. But Jesse furrows his brow, approaching with caution. The door is never closed unless he’s composing his latest movie score. Or unless his wife is messing around with the mixing desk - music still being her hobby despite a successful career as Vice Principal at Barden High School.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He pushes into the room, knowing that knocking is futile due to the soundproof walls. But oh how he wishes that isn’t the case.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Loud yelps escapes the men’s mouths as they find Beca pushing Chloe up against the mixing desk, her hand beneath the woman’s dress, hand between her legs while her other arm holds Chloe’s waist securely. Her face (that had been at Chloe’s exposed left breast) snaps away from the flesh, looking stunned and horrified at being caught.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Shit!” she yells, immediately stepping back from her best friend who understandably is equally shocked and quick to scramble off the mixing desk, “Jesse it…I-I can explain!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jesse can see something shining around his wife’s mouth and on the tip of her nose, and he has a sinking feeling it’s not just her saliva. Chloe, meanwhile, pulls her dress down and pops her breast back beneath the fabric, breathless from the adrenaline of being with Beca then suddenly being caught by her husband. Chicago continues to stare in disbelief.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I <b>knew</b> it!!” Jesse bellows, but is abruptly hushed by Beca who races over to the studio door and slams it closed to prevent any of the teens in the house from finding out what is happening. As she turns on the spot she’s faced by her angry husband, her guilty best friend, and Chloe’s confused husband.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I knew you two were screwing each other behind our backs!” Jesse accuses in a slightly quieter tone, his finger pointing directly from his wife to his wife’s lover. “All these years and I’ve finally caught you in the act!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Jesse it’s not like that!” Chloe quickly pipes up, “This was our first ti-”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“-Bullshit!” Jesse adds furiously, “Beca told me you guys used to ‘help each other out’ back in the day. When she and I were on that break.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Chicago just stands there dumbfounded. His wife used to screw Beca? Before he’d met her?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We did but-” Chloe begins but Beca is quick to add some helpful information.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“-We’ve not done it in years. Not since you and I got back together!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jesse scoffs, folding his arms, pursing his lips. He eventually turns to look at Chicago who swallows loudly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“So now what?”</em>
</p><p>Chloe takes a seat at the table and looks at her family. Her three teenage sons tuck into their dessert quickly. And as she lifts her wine glass to her lips and takes a long sip of red wine, her eyes catch her husbands over the rim of the glass. Chicago looks back at her grimly.</p><p>Because it was decided between the husbands, and subsequently the wives, that nobody should know about Beca and Chloe, nor should the two women ever cheat on their husbands with each other ever again. But from the sounds of things, Beca &amp; Jesse’s eldest child - Stevie Swanson - had found out. Well..had found out that her mother had screwed another woman. And from the sounds of things Beca &amp; Jesse had told their daughter that it had been the maid rather than her mother’s oldest and best friend. Stevie’s boyfriend’s <em>mother</em>..</p><p>It wouldn’t be long until the real truth would come about. And when that time came, Chicago and Chloe Walp really had no idea what to do…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. He Bit Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Medieval AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Wow, it’s <em>beautiful</em>!”</p><p>Beca couldn’t tear her eyes from the beautiful young woman stood beside her, looking out at the view from the top of the hill they’d just ridden up. Her hand clung to the reigns of her horse.</p><p>There was no mistaking this girl was a princess. Beautiful, with barely a mark on her body. Definitely someone who had always been heavily protected. Unlike Beca who had been born into poverty and since being orphaned as a child had begged and stolen her way to where she was now. In one of the biggest towns. With one of the most beautiful and sort after women around.</p><p>As if by chance, earlier that evening, Beca had happened upon the princess, stood in her chamber with the intention of stealing gold from the king. But one look of the kings daughter and Beca was immediately smitten. She was an outlaw. No way would she stand any chance with a princess.</p><p>However, as luck would have it, Chloe seemed somewhat smitten with the rugged brunette in return. And had jumped at the chance to escape the castle for a while and visit a part of the town she’d never been to at night. A stunning large moon hung in the sky, highlighting both womens’ features, and making the atmosphere around them all the more romantic.</p><p>“Not as beautiful as you.” Beca couldn’t help saying, a contented smile on her face. She’d never seen Princess Chloe before this evening. And she was pretty certain it was love at first sight.</p><p>A whinny followed by a snort of disbelief sounded from Beca’s horse and she heard him stamp his hoof in protest. She knew what he was saying. That she was making a fool of herself. That she really <em>shouldn’t</em> be falling for this Princess. And that she <em>shouldn’t</em> be distracting herself from the real job which was stealing from the King. But she ignored him all the same. Especially as Chloe turned to look at her with a dazzling smile.</p><p>“You’ve got a good way with words for someone as-” Chloe paused abruptly, realising just what she was about to say. Beca didn’t mind. It was only natural she point out their differences.</p><p>“For someone as poor as me?” she finished with a grin, and when Chloe seemed to blush, the brunette nudged her with her elbow, “It’s okay. I might not be educated, but it doesn’t mean I’m not clever.”</p><p>“I don’t doubt that for a second.” Chloe replied.</p><p>The two women stood in silence, looking at one another with calm smiles on their faces, their hearts beating as one. On the ride away from the castle, Chloe had explained how desperate she was to escape life as a princess. To see the world beyond the castle walls. And Beca could be the key to her freedom.</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” Beca asked, as bold as ever. If she didn’t take a chance now she may never get another chance again. It was how she’d lived every day of her life so far.</p><p>Chloe, take aback by the young woman’s confidence, hesitated. She’d never been kissed before. And had certainly never imagined she’d ever be kissed by another woman. But this particular woman intrigued her. Made her <em>feel something</em>. Though what that something was, Chloe couldn’t be sure.</p><p>“You may.” she agreed softly, and held her breath as Beca slowly leant towards her, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Warmth radiated through Chloe’s body, down from her mouth to pool between her legs. With this kiss, she began to fall in love with the mysterious woman. And as she opened her mouth to deepen it, she suddenly heard a sharp yelp.</p><p>Quick as a snap, Beca broke the kiss, pulling her arm from her horse. She turned to him frowning furiously. The horse simply blinked back at her, and she could tell he was annoyed. <em>Jealous</em> even.</p><p>“Everything okay?” Chloe asked cautiously.</p><p>“Yeah he just…” Beca paused, peering through the dark, using the moonlight to assess the damage. He’d drawn a bit of blood. <em>Great</em>. She’d need to visit the local sorceress to get that cleared up. Letting out a sigh, she turned back to the princess “He bit me.”</p><p>“Doesn’t it hurt??”</p><p>Yeah it hurt. But Beca wasn’t going to let this little blip affect the perfect moment she was sharing with the beautiful woman before her. So she shrugged, forcing a calm smile onto her face to reassure Chloe that everything was okay.</p><p>“I’ll live.” she mumbled, drawing her face close to the Princess’ once more. But just as her lips enclosed over the redhead’s once more, she felt the woman reach up and push gently at her collarbone, breaking the kiss.</p><p>“<em>We can’t</em>.” Chloe whispered, her forehead leaning against Beca’s. Beca was confused. They weren’t in any trouble. And if they were, she would be able to get them out of it. She had a knack of getting out of trouble and danger. Chloe wasn’t moving away so it wasn’t like she didn’t want this. So sorry what was going on?</p><p>Chloe sensed the outlaw’s hesitance, so decided to elaborate. She swallowed loudly, taking a step backwards and looking at the brunette sadly:</p><p>“There’s a tournament tomorrow. In my honour. The winner gets my hand in marriage.”</p><p>Beca felt a tug in her heart. What a horrible turn of events. Just like that, what had only just begun had to come to an immediate end. Or did it?</p><p>“I’ll win it.” she replied defiantly. Seriously. Ignoring another sharp exhale coming from her horse’s nose and she could sense his eyes rolling at how stupid she was being. Chloe looked surprised, so Beca continued, “I mean it. I’ll fight. I’ll win the tournament. Then I can marry you and free you like you’ve always wanted!”</p><p>It seemed like the most perfect of situations. Ideal. And Chloe’s eyes shone at the thought of being able to runaway with this mischievous woman. Live the life of an outlaw. Rid herself of the tight grip her father had over her life. But there was one major flaw in the suggestion.</p><p>“There’s no way they’d allow a woman to compete.” Chloe replied sadly.</p><p>But Beca looked back at her seriously, assuring her confidently, in a determined fashion, “I’ll win it.”</p><p>———</p><p>“So let me get this straight.”</p><p>Beca winced as she felt the healing serum penetrate her wound. No matter how many times she had this ritual done, it still hurt.</p><p>“You want to put all of our plans - everything we’ve worked for and implemented - on the line, just for <em>some girl</em>??”</p><p>The brunette looked across the shelter at the figure of her best friend and comrade, Amy. Her arms were folded, blinking over at her in disbelief. They’d been like sisters for most of their lives, having both been orphaned from a young age. Thievery and a motto of ‘steal from the rich to give to the poor’ were what had got them far in life, given their lack of money. If she trusted anyone it was Amy. And now Chloe…</p><p>“<em>The</em> girl.” Beca corrected before wincing again. She felt the sorceress’ cool bony fingers wrap tighter around her wrist, pouring more of the healing serum over the wound. The sorceress muttered something incoherent, though Amy somehow heard what she’d said.</p><p>“Lilly’s right, it’s no wonder Jesse bit you.”</p><p>“Jesse’s an ass.” Beca retorted, hearing the horse whinny loudly in objection outside. If he hadn’t got her out of so many scrapes in the past she would’ve said a lot worse. “Sorry Jess!” she called out to the horse stood outside the shelter, “I’m just in a funk.”</p><p>“Too right you’re in a funk.” Amy agreed, striding over to her, still completely baffled by the sudden change of plan, “What the hell do we get out this if you win this tournament?”</p><p>“Unlimited food?” Beca bribed, and she saw her friend’s expression brighten slightly. She thought she’d sealed the deal right there and then. After all, there’d likely be a banquet if <em>the princess</em> was getting married. Unfortunately, Amy wasn’t an idiot, and the blonde quickly furrowed her brow.</p><p>“You’ve never cared about food before.” Damn. “So what’s in it for <em>you</em>??”</p><p>Beca felt a little flush. She never did anything for love. She’d never experienced love before. Which was why she knew that the funny feeling she felt inside whenever Chloe had looked at her or spoken to her…hell even the <em>thought</em> of the princess had Beca…well it had Beca feeling a lot. A lot of new things. That’s how she knew she was in love. That’s how she knew fighting for Chloe in this tournament tomorrow was worth it.</p><p>Before she could answer, another whinny and snort came from Jesse the horse outside and Amy rolled her eyes, “Oh <em>God</em>! Her? You get the princess??”</p><p>“I won’t <em>own</em> her. We’ll be equals.” Beca corrected quickly, looking down at her ‘wound’, pleased to see that the worst of it was healed. There still remained a hideous scabby scar in its place. “And married.” she added with a mumble, hoping that her friend hadn’t heard. But Amy let out one clear loud sarcastic laugh.</p><p>“Ha! And how do you expect to even make it <em>into</em> the tournament? No way would they let <em>a</em> <em>woman</em> compete, let alone<em> marry the princess</em> if you won!” Beca looked to Amy and rose her eyebrows hopefully. Amy’s smile quickly dropped, her arms crossing once again. “Nope! No <em>way</em> will Aubrey and her lot be able to hook you up with a place <em>and</em> all the gear<em> by morning</em>!”</p><p>———</p><p>“I cannot <em>believe</em> Aubrey was able to get her lot to hook you up with a place and all the gear.” Amy muttered in a low voice, stood beside Beca while they both peered in a gap between the canvas walls that surrounded a ‘duelling area’ used for the tournament. Beca dressed in impressively lightweight yet (apparently) impenetrable armour, looked mightily like a tiny petite man - plus a ‘good luck’ spell by Lilly the sorceress, because why not.</p><p>“Aubrey owed us one after we saved her father.”</p><p>“Wrong, <em>you</em> can take this as <em>your</em> favour from her. She still owes <em>me</em> one.”</p><p>Beca didn’t respond, her eyes trained in on the platform at the far end of the arena, and on one person in particular.</p><p>There she was. Chloe. Sat somewhat uncomfortably beside her father, watching two men duelling (the weaker of the two currently being bludgeoned by the stronger). Beca heard Amy wince as a particularly messy impact was witnessed.</p><p>“Yikes. Are you sure you still wanna do this? We could always sack it off and raid the castle while the King’s attention is on thi-”</p><p>“-No way. I’m doing this. I’m going to win. I’m going to marry the princess.”</p><p>Beca missed the look Amy shared with Jesse the horse, both having known the brunette long enough to know when her mind was set on doing something. And to be fair, this wasn’t the first time it was potentially life threatening. But it definitely <em>was</em> the first time she was doing this for <em>love</em>.</p><p>———</p><p>Princess Chloe sat uncomfortably in her seat beside her father, twisting her fingers anxiously with each duel that began then swiftly ended. At no point had any of these ‘suitors’ looked like the mysterious woman she’d met last night. The one who had promised she would duel today. Would try to win her hand in marriage.</p><p>She’d never caught her name. Hadn’t even thought to ask for it. Instead she’d been overwhelmed by the woman’s beautiful deep blue eyes, her tenacity and confidence. How passionately she talked about life and the town and-</p><p>Chloe felt her chest tighten as one of her father’s men loudly introduced the final two competitors. This was it. If the woman was going to duel for her, then it would be now..</p><p>A smile swept onto her face, taking a huge intake of breath as she watched two ‘men’ striding into the arena. One tall and one petite. Both wore metal helmets and donned chain armour. Both held sturdy shields. Both spotted sharp swords. But out of the two, the princess just <em>knew</em> in an instant that the shorter fighter was her girl. The one who would hopefully survive this duel and the next two to eventually win her hand in marriage.</p><p>She didn’t turn to look at her father as the man raised his arm. Her eyes were only on her hoped suitor, as the petite (wo)man readied herself, shield across her chest, sword in hand ready to duel, rocking back and forth in preparation. Princess Chloe’s heart was in her mouth, pounding away. And she sat forward in her seat just as her father’s hand whipped down.</p><p>And the duel began…</p><p>———</p><p>
  <em>Jesse the horse is essentially ‘Maximus’ from Tangled 😂</em>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Drunk Texts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Babysitter AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h2>
  
</h2><p>Chloe waited with baited breath. She sat on the couch of her Professor’s house, knees tucked beneath her, phone in one hand and a cup of herbal tea in the other. She’d offered to babysit while her Russian Lit Professor and husband went out for dinner. In exchange she’d apparently receive a small (yet vital) amount of extra credit.</p><p>The last text she’d expected to receive was one from Beca stating so bluntly that she was <em>in</em> <em>love</em> with her. Where the hell had <em>that</em> come from?</p><p>Chloe had been drunk on many an occasion over the years. Being drunk made her brutally honest and free with her words. And as far as she was aware, whenever Beca was drunk she too was brutally honest. But was what Beca just texted really the truth? And if so, why had she written it the way she had? Hadn’t she realised she’d texted <em>Chloe</em>???</p><p>Either way, judging by the emoji, it seemed as though Beca was emotional. And drunk. An emotional drunk. Fortunately, Chloe knew her friends. She knew the Bellas would check in on Beca as requested. She knew they’d probably be able to de-escalate whatever emotional upset Beca was currently experiencing. They didn’t happen often, but when they did it was usually The Bellas who de-escalated before Chloe would swoop in to completely calm the prickly brunette down. The night would always end with hot chocolates and tucking up listening to a podcast or audio book. But if Beca was upset because she was in love with Chloe..how the heck was this night going to end?</p><p>Her heart leapt into her throat as her phone suddenly began to vibrate in her hand and she looked at the screen.</p><p>“Stacie?” she answered, expecting to hear the leggy brunette’s bubbly voice down the other end of the phone. But Stacie was unusually quiet.</p><p>“<em>We’re going up to speak to Beca</em>.” the young woman whispered, “<em>Don’t end the call and you can listen to what’s going on</em>.”</p><p>Chloe swallowed loudly, barely breathing she was so terrified about blowing the whole operation. Listening harder than she’d ever listened before. One creak of the attic door, one creak of the first step leading up to Beca and Fat Amy’s bedroom. This was it..</p><p>———</p><p>Beca rose her head from her knees, looking over towards the stairs to see who was ascending them. She felt a little dizzy. She <em>always</em> felt a little dizzy when she’d been drinking. And emotional. Right now she felt a whole heap of emotional whilst sat up on her bed.</p><p>Tonight she’d finally bitten the bullet and texted Jesse to tell him that she was in love with Chloe. It had to be done. He’d left for LA six weeks ago and they’d both been on different times resulting in a breakdown in communication. Beca had <em>tried</em> not to stalk him by looking through his social media pages. But because he’d not really had time to talk to her, the only way she felt close to him was by keeping up with his day-to-day life in LA.</p><p>Which, by the way, he seemed to be loving. Without her. And instead with some girl called ‘<em>Candee</em>’ who Beca instantly loathed because of the girl’s huge boobs and tall body and long blonde hair..</p><p>“Beca?”</p><p>Beca snapped herself out of her funk and blinked a few times, trying to focus on the gaggle of women that now stood nervously at the bottom of her bed. Normally she hated people invading her space after a long day. But right now she could really use some sympathetic company.</p><p>“Are you crying?” Emily asked cautiously, and Beca sniffed loudly while quickly running her left palm across both cheeks to swipe away any tears.</p><p>“No.” she mumbled, “This is how I always look in the evening.” an answer that only added to her friends’ confusion.</p><p>“You always look like you’ve been crying?” Stacie asked and it really was the wrong thing to say. Because Beca needed sympathy right now not judgement.</p><p>“Shut up!” she quickly snapped, frowning furiously, involuntary tears springing from her eyes again, “Can’t you see I’m going through something here?!”</p><p>The Bellas all took a step back, their eyebrows raised. They were used to Beca’s outbursts from time to time, particularly around assignment deadlines, but Chloe was almost always there to defuse her co-captain. Tonight, however, Chloe was out.</p><p>“Okaaay…” Stacie began, “…um…did you wanna tell us about it or…?”</p><p>The room fell silent, all Bellas looking at Beca who was busy looking miserably down at her hands.</p><p>“I only wanna talk to Cynthia Rose.” she grumbled, pausing before adding with a wave of her hand, “and maybe Jessica and Ashley.”</p><p>So the known lesbians of the group. That made sense. And had The Bellas not already known what Beca had texted Chloe ten minutes ago, then they would’ve <em>guessed</em> Beca was going through something with her sexuality.</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe pressed her phone firmly to her ear, swallowing loudly again, listening hard. She heard Stacie placing the phone down on what Chloe assumed was Beca’s desk. Then the sounds of footsteps walking down the attic stairs. Then after a few moments, the distinct sound of Cynthia Rose.</p><p>———</p><p>“So…let it all out.” CR said in a kind voice, perching tentatively on the end of Beca’s bed. Jessica and Ashley remained stood at the foot, both watching Beca with soft expressions on their faces.</p><p>“I texted Jesse.” Beca mumbled, having now stopped crying but sounding vulnerable all the same. She looked up at her three friends before her, shrugging, “I told him something and he just said he was confused.”</p><p>CR, Jessica, and Ashley knew exactly why ‘Jesse’ had said that. It was because it hadn’t been Jesse at all. It’d been Chloe. But they weren’t about to tell Beca that.</p><p>“What was he confused about?” Jessica asked in a quiet voice, wanting to help Beca talk things through. Beca remained sat up on her bed, her face puffy from crying, her skin pale thanks to the long dark winter days. She let out a heavy sigh followed by a loud sniff.</p><p>“I told him I’m in love with Chloe. That’s why he said he’s confused.”</p><p>Had the three women not already known this information then they would’ve been stunned. At no point had Beca <em>ever</em> suggested that she held so much as <em>a crush </em>on Chloe, let alone be <em>in love</em> with her. And what about Jesse?? As far as they were aware, he and Beca were still together, even if it was now long-distance.</p><p>“And…are you in love with Chloe?” Ashley checked, wondering if the alcohol in her captain’s system was actually crossing loads of lines in her head. But Beca rose her eyebrows, looking at her three friends seriously.</p><p>“Yeah.” she replied honestly. Firmly. “I didn’t mean to feel this way about her. Honest. It just…” Beca paused to sigh heavily, taking her hand through her hair, “…It’s just crept up on m-”</p><p>But before she could finish her sentence or elaborate further, Beca froze as her phone suddenly began vibrating to a beat. On and on. She stared at the device, her eyes wide with horror. CR, Jessica, and Ashley all leant towards her, trying to see the caller ID.</p><p>“It’s Jesse.” Beca answered without realising the girls were trying to see. She reached out to take her phone, “Oh God he’s gonna be mad.”</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe couldn’t help the help of horror that fell from her mouth at Beca’s announcement of who was calling her. Her heart was practically bursting from her chest. It had been her! Beca had texted her, not Jesse!! It had all been a big mistake!</p><p>“You’re freaking out, aren’t you.” she heard Beca immediately answer the call with. And her stomach twisted. Jesse had no reason to freak out. But soon he would.</p><p>“Because…because of me being in love with Chloe.” Beca continued and Chloe heard it all through her phone, her eyes squeezed shut with her face crinkled up. This was all so awkward and horrible!</p><p>“I…but you <em>know</em> that I’m in lo-…because I just <em>texted</em> you!”</p><p>Chloe winced, pinching the bridge of her nose while listening to Beca’s side of the conversation. Beca had texted <em>her</em>, not Jesse. No wonder Jesse was freaking out. He’d only been away for six weeks and his girlfriend had fallen in love with someone else.</p><p>“Wha-I dunno, for like a year?”</p><p>Chloe’s jaw dropped. <em>A year</em>? Was…Beca telling Jesse that she’d been in love with her for a year?!</p><p>“I know I should’ve said something sooner!” Beca yelled quickly, sounding more distressed by the second. Chloe knew that tone. Beca was getting upset again and her heart strings tugged. She couldn’t work out if it was harder being on the phone and listening in, or if it was worse having to watch Beca get upset in person.</p><p>“Well of course not.” Beca continued from her end of the conversation, and Chloe had to admit that considering this conversation was a little bit about her, it was slightly frustrating that she couldn’t hear Jesse’s side of it. “Because there’s next to no chance she likes me back!”</p><p>Oh God. Chloe sat forward in the couch she was sat on, the TV before her still muted as she continued to grip her phone to her ear. Beca didn’t think she liked her back?? But…she <em>did</em> like Beca back! If anything, she <em>loved</em> Beca back. She’d been obsessively daydreaming about that girl since first meeting her three years ago. Never mind the two and a bit age difference they had, to Chloe, Beca was wholeheartedly her equal. They were a team and Chloe <em>adored</em> her. And it was crushing to think that Beca had no idea.</p><p>“Jesse, wait…no it…you don’t have to…” Beca’s voice was pleading, a sign that the brunette was very much still drunk. Or at least the alcohol might slowly be beginning to subside in her system. But Chloe had no more opportunity to work that out. Because suddenly she heard keys in the front door, and she quickly ended the call, her heart in her throat as Beca’s words rang in her head. <em>Beca was in love with her</em>.</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe crept back through her front door, gently closing it behind her. She paused at the foot of the stairs, looking up, listening hard to work out where her friends were. Then suddenly she jumped at the sound of a voice in her right ear.</p><p>“Hey Chloe.”</p><p>The redhead whipped around to find Lilly stood with that odd pinched smile on her face, her bug-eyes staring back at Chloe. But Chloe was used to the sweet - albeit sometimes scary - young woman.</p><p>“Hey Lilly.”</p><p>“Jesse broke up with Beca.”</p><p>Chloe wasn’t surprised. But still, hearing it out loud Chloe suddenly felt winded. Because although this opened up so many avenues in her and Beca’s relationship - potentially reshaping it into something more than friendship - Beca would still undoubtedly be hurting. And Chloe was very sensitive towards that.</p><p>“I should go see her.” Chloe explained, placing one hand on the banister and one foot on the bottom stair. But just as she was about to head upstairs, she felt a cold hand on her arm.</p><p>“She’s downstairs watching a movie with the girls.”</p><p>Beca? Watching a movie?? Chloe didn’t mean to look so surprised, but her eyebrows flew up her forehead. Beca usually took a lot of pursuasion to join everyone for a movie. But clearly vulnerable drunk Beca was a little more pusuasive than regular strong sober Beca so…</p><p>Chloe’s heart raced as she slipped her winter coat from around her body while slowly walking from the bottom of the stairs, through the lounge, stopping in the doorway of the ‘TV room’, dropping the coat to the floor. She peered through the darkness, at the faces highlighted by the paused movie. She briefly noted Stacie with her phone in her hand so at some point the tall senior had snuck back upstairs to get it.</p><p>Eventually her eyes landed on Beca who stared back at her with big wide eyes, on the lone armchair (that she normally shared with Chloe on the few occasions she relented and joined her housemates for ‘movie night’). And it was like looking at Beca anew - now that Chloe knew the truth. Beca was <em>in love with her</em>.</p><p>All of The Bellas watched with stunned expressions as Chloe suddenly strode over to Beca, reached out, bent over, cupped the brunette’s cheeks, and place a long firm kiss on her lips.</p><p>Beca was frozen, her left hand hanging onto Chloe’s right wrist. And for a moment she didn’t kiss back, her tipsy slow mind trying to catch up with what was going on. But soon she began rocking her head and the moment Chloe felt Beca kissing her back she decided to break it. She leant her face back a couple of inches, opening her eyes to see Beca looking back at her, confused.</p><p>“<em>I heard you broke up with Jesse.</em>” she whispered, and Beca cleared her throat slightly.</p><p>“Technically he broke up with me.” Beca mumbled back.</p><p>“<em>Let’s talk about it in the morning.</em>” Chloe replied with a kind smile on her face, “<em>When you’re sober.</em>” and as she settled in the space beside Beca on the armchair, pulling some of Beca’s blanket across her own legs, she missed the way Beca had tugged her bottom lip between her teeth.</p><p>“How do you know I’m drunk?” Beca asked, but Chloe simply reached for her hand beneath the blanket, lacing their fingers with a calm smile on her face, looking over at her kindly.</p><p>“Because I know you.”</p><p>With that simple answer, Beca’s confused expression relaxed into a calm smile of her own. And to Chloe’s pleasant surprise, she saw Beca lean her face towards her, and the redhead received a long firm kiss in return.</p><p>The Bellas watched in stunned silence, mouths open, smiles on their faces as their co-captains broke their kiss then turned to look at them.</p><p>“Are we gonna keep watching this movie then?” Beca asked with a grin, and Chloe grinned too. Her body felt warm. Her heart felt full. And her mind felt full of hope as Beca squeezed her hand affectionately beneath the blanket.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Baby Farm Animals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Support Group AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“I’m sorry Miss Beale but…I’m afraid your father’s died.”</em>
</p><p>The words echoed around and around in Chloe’s head, and with each lap her chest grew tighter and tighter. That was it. The end. She never ever thought it’d happen but it had. Her father had <em>died. </em>And not peacefully it seemed. Or so the doctor on the phone had so bluntly and unsympathetically explained..</p><p>She felt a nudge at her left elbow and let out a heavy sigh as she kept her eyes down on the straw-filled ground beneath her feet, but her left arm reached up slightly, and she allowed a young lamb to nuzzle into her warm body. As she sat on the bale of straw, her fingers stroked through the small bobbles of wool. But it didn’t comfort her in the slightest.</p><p>For most people, during a time of crisis, the last thing they would want to do is drive an hour out to the nearest farm to try to come to terms with a sudden change to their life. But not Chloe. Chloe Beale adored this farm. Being at this farm made her feel closer to her mother. Now, in a way, it had a dual-purpose.</p><p>She heard a crunch of light footsteps approaching from behind her, but she didn’t look up to see who had joined her in the lamb pen. She didn’t really care. The pen could be filled with people and she would still feel alone. Because technically she <em>was</em>. The last Beale standing.</p><p>A familiar body settled down to her right, and along with it a familiar scent of perfume. Chloe didn’t feel like smiling, even though this particular person constantly consumed her entire soul, filling it with hope and happiness. She just continued to look down at her feet, her eyes aching from all the crying she’d done in the car ride to the farm, driving whilst listening to Avril Lavigne’s first album.</p><p>“The Bellas told me the news.” Beca muttered in a sad yet cautious tone, “God Chloe, he was such a great man.”</p><p>Chloe’s nose tingled as her eyes began to water again. Beca was right, her father <strike>was</strike> <em>had</em> <em>been</em> a great man. So jovial and full of light. As his only child, Jacob Beale had worshipped the ground Chloe’d stood on. Her number one fan. Now he was gone, Chloe had <em>nothing</em>. No one.</p><p>After a long pause, the redhead broke her silence in a quiet croaky tone, “I’m an <em>orphan</em>.” Those were bitter words to speak out loud, no matter how low the volume, and it had Beca’s heart breaking to see her once bright and bubbly best friend in pieces. Having always been lousy with words, all she could do was sit and wait patiently while Chloe slowly spoke through things.</p><p>It was around this time Beca realised they were sat in a lamb-pen. Mostly because a lamb had impressively managed to squeeze its way under her small legs and lay down there to doze. Had Chloe been in better spirits she probably would’ve melted at the sight of Beca ‘snuggled up’ (as she probably would’ve put it) with a bunch of baby sheep. But today was different. Just like the day Chloe came here as a child after her mother had died..</p><p>“What’re you doing here?” Chloe croaked, looking to Beca while the brunette plucked at a strand of straw to twist around her fingers with the hope of easing her worry about her best friend. This was potentially the start of a very long road for Chloe. Losing one parent was hard enough. But losing both before hitting twenty five?</p><p>“Came here for all the baby farm animals, didn’t I.” Beca replied sarcastically, and to her surprise she noted the tiniest whisper of a smile twitch into one corner of Chloe’s mouth. But no sooner had she seen it, it was gone.</p><p>“I meant how did you know I’d be here?” Chloe asked, her confusion about the matter briefly overtaking her utter despair at losing her father. Beca gave her a soft sad smile whilst shrugging.</p><p>“Because you came here when your Mom died.”</p><p>Chloe’s brow furrowed for a moment, ignoring the way another lamb had decided to gently nudge its head against her knee, over and over, waiting to be petted.</p><p>“How did you know that?” she asked, “I’ve never told anyone that.”</p><p>Beca’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Didn’t Chloe remember her?</p><p>
  <em>Beca Mitchell stood alone in the middle of the bustling farm pen. Her wellie boots that were too big for her little feet, came up past her knees, her little body was wrapped in a thick warm coat, and in her hand hung a small rucksack that her father had packed her lunch in earlier that day.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She’d been sent here by her Daddy for the day. She wasn’t sure why. All she knew was her mother had gone to heaven where apparently Beca couldn’t visit, and today her Daddy was going to say goodbye to her Mommy, though Beca wasn’t sure exactly <b>how</b> he was going to do that given they weren’t allowed into heaven to visit.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Unbeknownst to the six year old, her father had sent her to a farm up-state which held a Support Group Meeting for bereaved children. Dr Mitchell had read how children interacting with animals helped them with the grieving process. Sadly he didn’t realise that Beca wasn’t aware she needed to grieve. As far as she was aware, her mother was still around, just not accessible at this moment in time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little girl’s eyes swept around the room, watching the multitude of children around her, many squealing and chatting and giggling in delight at the many baby animals in the strawy pen they were stood in. But her eyes eventually landed on a beautiful little redhaired girl, sat alone on a straw bale. And Beca somehow resonated with her - though she couldn’t tell why.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So the young brunette scuffed her way across the pen, dragging the heels of her boots, trying not to trip over. Behind her she dragged her little rucksack along the floor, creating a sort of channel behind her, where the straw had gathered beneath her bag.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The other girl didn’t look up. She just remained sat on the straw bale, looking sadly down at her own boots. Beca had never been a chatty kid. Had often kept herself to herself. But because this girl didn’t seem chatty either, it gave Beca the confidence to sit with her. This girl seemed nice, even if she <b>was</b> sad.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So Beca took a seat beside the little redhead, the strap of her bag she was holding falling to the floor. And she let her little legs swing while she looked down at the girl’s boots. They were bright pink with yellow flowers on. Beca liked them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do you like juice?” Beca asked conversationally, looking up at the girl beside her. The little girl seemed to swallow, then turned slowly to look back at her new companion. Beca looked into her sad blue eyes and felt a funny feeling in her tummy as the girl nodded slowly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ve got a spare juice box if you want it?” Beca added, reaching down for then into her bag. She pulled out two juice boxes, one for herself, then held one out to her new friend. The girl took it quietly, a small smile spreading onto her face. And Beca smiled back. This girl had a really nice smile. Beca liked her a lot.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two little girls sat in silence on the bale of straw, swinging their legs while sipping from their respective juice boxes.</em>
</p><p>“You were the girl who gave me her spare juice box?” Chloe asked in awe, and Beca nodded with a small kind smile, reaching into her bag, accidentally nudging the dozing lamb beneath her legs.</p><p>“Yeah. But this time…” she paused, and Chloe couldn’t help the tiny smile on her face as Beca pulled out two bottles of beer, “…I thought we’d need something stronger than juice.”</p><p>Chloe took a beer bottle gratefully, pulling the cap off with her teeth, before switching it with Beca’s. Once she’d opened the other bottle, she and Beca both gently clinked the necks.</p><p>“To Jacob Beale. One hell of a guy.” Beca toasted gently, and Chloe nodded before taking a huge long swig of the alcohol. The two women let out heavy sighs, still settled on the bale of straw while surrounded by lambs, many of whom had laid down to doze near them.</p><p>“How did you <em>get</em> here??” Chloe suddenly asked, “I had the car.” referring to the car they shared while at college - being two out of three Bellas who could drive. Beca shrugged.</p><p>“Took a couple of buses.” Chloe gasped but Beca shrugged again, “I’d have walked if I’d had to, Chlo.”</p><p>Chloe’s heavy heart skipped a beat, looking over at Beca again as the brunette took a swig of beer before looking back at her with a strange serious-yet-affectionate expression.</p><p>“I’ll always be here for you. No matter what. I’ll protect you and provide for you and muddle through life with you.”</p><p>Chloe took a deep shaky breath. When Beca said things like this, she was serious. And true to her word. So Chloe didn’t doubt her for a second.</p><p>They both turned to the lambs surrounding them. Silence resumed save for the occasional bleating from the young baby sheep. All until Beca added:</p><p>“I’m gonna need a ride home.”</p><p>For a fleeting moment, Chloe let out the tiniest chuckle, nudging Beca with her elbow. And Beca’s heart warmed when she felt her best friend rest her head on her shoulder, tucking her arm under hers to hold her hand..</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Fake Dating</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Undercover AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I have a bad feeling about this.” Beca mumbled under her breath, stood as confidently as possible at the lesbian bar while hearing a chuckle sounding through the descreet earpiece she was wearing. It felt like one of the more fuller items on her body - her top was barely a top (only <em>just</em> covering her bra-less boobs and ending sharply no more than a centimetre beneath them), her cropped jean-shorts only just ended beneath the curvature of her butt, and she wore a pair of killer heels.</p><p>“<em>We’ve gotta fit in</em>.” she heard the familiar voice of her colleague, mumbling from her earpiece in response. “<em>I’m at your three. Heading your way.</em>”</p><p>Beca swirled her whiskey in a tumbler in front of her, not looking over. Their cover was that they didn’t know each other. That they were on a blind date. Their target was the owner of this establishment. The plan was to stumble around the place together, acting drunk and in the throws of obsessive love with each other, whilst trying to find every door in the building and attempt to work out where they led to. The hope was that they’d find a drug lord. Or perhaps they should label her a ‘drug lady’?</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>Beca had to do a double take as she looked to her right at her colleague, stood beside her with a big smile on her face. The redhead wore a tight short dress that ended barely beneath her butt, her long thick hair was up in a loose bun, and beautiful makeup on her face complimented her bright blue eyes. Beca and Chloe had been partners in the FBI for almost five years. They were renowned within their department for their successful working relationship, so frequently cracking cases together and locking the bad guys away.</p><p>In addition to their ability to seemingly read each other’s minds and communicate almost silently, the two colleagues often found themselves flirting openly with one another, if the time was appropriate during working hours. Away from work, they never spoke to each other nor did they see each other. Their relationship was strictly work.</p><p>“Hey yourself.” Beca replied with a grin, her eyes drifting down the length of Chloe’s body then back up again as the redhead settled in beside her.</p><p>“Whatcha drinking?”</p><p>“Whiskey.” Beca held her glass up slightly and Chloe’s eyebrows rose in (fake) surprise before turning to the bartender who was stood nearby, watching them curiously.</p><p>“I’ll have what she’s having.” she called out, pointing to Beca, and the bartender nodded then began preparing the drink.</p><p>Beca’s chest tightened as she watched her colleague lean her body into hers, Chloe’s face slowly ducking down, and the redhead placed a firm wet kiss on her neck. She froze as Chloe’s left hand smoothed across the small of her back, the woman’s mouth breaking from her skin and rising to her ear.</p><p>“<em>I’m giving you the opportunity to check out the bartender.</em>” she mumbled, but Beca was confused. She wasn’t <em>gay</em>. This was all an act. So why would she want to check out the female bartender? Chloe seemed to read her mind (like always), “<em>Not like that.</em>” she said with a chuckle, placing another soft kiss below Beca’s earlobe then added, “<em>Does she have the tattoo we’re looking for? On her wrist?</em>”</p><p>Beca’s eyes widened the moment she realised what Chloe meant. And as the redhead brought her lips back down to her neck, Beca turned her head, giving Chloe more access and giving herself the opportunity to try to look at the bartender’s wrists. Nope. No tattoos. But Chloe’s mouth and tongue was definitely feeling good against her skin right now. Perhaps she could delay her response to elongate this feeling?</p><p>Chloe’s drink landed with a loud thud on the bar, jolting Beca out of her brief haze and Chloe out of hers. The redhead pulled away from Beca’s neck with a goofy grin, thanking the bartender and taking the drink.</p><p>“Well?” she asked Beca, as if asking her opinion on the necking. But Beca simply threw back the rest of her whisky, replying firmly:</p><p>“Let’s go and dance.”</p><p>Chloe didn’t need telling twice and drank down her alcohol in one go, mildly enjoying the burn. She wouldn’t get drunk tonight. But the plan was to act like she was. And from Beca’s reaction she could tell that the bartender wasn’t the woman they were after. So she allowed Beca to take her hand and lead her to the busy dancefloor..</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Hospital</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Neighbours AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chloe Beale sat back in her couch, a relaxed sigh falling from her mouth as she reached for the TV control and prepared herself for not just a Netflix marathon this Friday evening, but a Netflix marathon all weekend. That was right, she finally had the whole weekend off. No work. No social commitments. No planned/forced family video calls where her parents and siblings inevitably asked her whether she had a boyfriend yet and when she told them no they’d ask her why.</p><p>The truth was, it was because she didn’t <em>need</em> anyone. She lived a very happy comfortable life, alone, with nobody dragging her down, insisting she do life <em>their</em> way. No, she was free to do what<em>ever</em> she wan-</p><p>The redhead jumped, her eyes immediately flying to her apartment door the second she heard several very quick knocks on it. She took a moment to check the time, and furrowed her brow. Who the hell was knocking on her door at <em>11pm</em> on a <em>Friday night</em>? Chloe slowly rose to her feet, gulping as she approached the door, holding her hand out towards the lock and handle.</p><p>“Who is it?” she called out as confidently as she could muster, though her insides were scrambling in fear.</p><p>“It’s Beca?”</p><p>Beca? Chloe frowned. Who was ‘Beca’?</p><p>“From across the hall?”</p><p>Oh! <em>Beca</em>. That was the woman’s name. The petite brunette who Chloe had heard arguing with her boyfriend for the past five months that they’d been living in the apartment block for.</p><p>“Can I ask you something?”</p><p>The woman sounded worried with a distinct tone of urgency too. And Chloe’s curiosity (and admittedly kind nature) had her unlocking and opening the door a little way. There her eyes locked on the brunette, looking incredibly drained, tired, and stressed. Then her eyes drifted down to the way Beca held a large pregnant belly. <em>Crap</em>. Beca was <em>pregnant</em>??</p><p>“Do you have a car?” Beca asked urgently, shifting her weight in a swaying motion from one foot to the other and back again. Chloe swallowed loudly.</p><p>“Uh…yeah. Yeah I do.”</p><p>“Could you drive me to the hospital?”</p><p>This time it was Chloe’s turn to go pale. Wait…was this stranger <em>in labour</em>??</p><p>“Please.” Beca pleaded as calmly as possible, noticing the hesitation on the woman’s face, “I don’t have anyone else I can askkkkkk.” her final word was elongated and turned into a huge wince while her face screwed up, clearly in pain.</p><p>Chloe didn’t think twice, immediately reaching for the key hook near the door, grabbing her keys, and stepping out of her apartment, her phone still in her pocket from earlier. She didn’t care that she was in her pyjamas. Didn’t care that she had wet hair that was likely to go wild and curly if she left it to dry naturally. No, all that Chloe cared about was getting this woman to the hospital as soon as possible. The last thing she wanted was to be delivering a baby in <em>her car</em>..</p><p>———</p><p>“So…” Chloe began, tapping her fingers anxiously on the steering wheel while she drove over the speed limit, trying not to freak out with every wince of pain Beca seemed to be trying to hide, “…where’s your boyfriend tonight?”</p><p>She glanced over at the woman to her right, Beca rubbing small circles on the left side of her pregnant belly while quietly grimacing - so obviously in pain and uncomfortable. There was no answer so Chloe looked to the road again, trying not to feel awkward about the silence.</p><p>“I threw him out three weeks ago.”</p><p>Chloe felt her stomach knot. See that was why she didn’t want to bother with dating someone: the horrible reality that they’d one day realise she wasn’t the one for them and would just walk out.</p><p>“Turns out he got another woman pregnant.” Chloe gasped, turning to Beca again as the brunette added bitterly, “His wife.”</p><p>Chloe furrowed her brow, looking back out at the road ahead, trying to work out what that meant. So-</p><p>“I never knew he was married. When I found out, I threw him out.” Beca shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat, letting out a huff of air before adding in a glum tone, “I never realised I was the ‘other woman’.”</p><p>The redhead swallowed loudly. God what a heartbreaking story. And now this poor woman had to give birth to and raise the child of a man who had treated her so <em>dismally</em>.</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe was hardly a pro when it came to childbirth, but even <em>she</em> knew that Beca’s contractions were getting stronger and closer together. She’d helped the woman out of the car, had supported her into the hospital, and was now stood at a desk waiting for a doctor or nurse or <em>anyone</em> to come and help them.</p><p>“I’ll be alright now. Thanks.” Beca grumbled, trying to force a smile onto her face and failing. Her right hand gripped the edge of the desk while her left hand rubbed circles around her pregnant belly more vigorously now.</p><p>Chloe’s eyebrows rose in surprise, “Wha-? Are you sure??”</p><p>“Yeah.” the woman replied, though it was more of a grunt before bending over a little further and letting out an audible groan. Chloe had to admit, even <em>she</em> wasn’t sure she should go. But she didn’t really <em>know</em> this woman. They’d been neighbours for five months but had only now met. That spoke volumes about the type of person Beca was. When she told someone to go, she meant it. Her boyfriend; now her kind neighbour who had driven her to the hospital..</p><p>“Hi there.” a member of hospital staff had finally arrived to ‘greet’ them (admittedly in a tone that suggested they were inconveniencing her), “Can I help you?” the woman looked directly at Chloe and the redhead blinked a couple of times before realising she was talking specifically to her, probably because she couldn’t really see that Beca had crippled over in pain (though it was hard to believe the lady couldn’t <em>hear</em> the mother-to-be).</p><p>“Oh. Yes.” Chloe replied with a friendly smile, motioning to Beca who the woman did <em>actually</em> look at briefly, “I have Beca here? She’s in labour…”</p><p>“Becaaaaa…?” the woman questioned, having already turned to a computer screen with a blank look on her face. But Chloe hesitated. That was pretty much all she knew about her neighbour. That she was pregnant, now single, and her first name was Beca-</p><p>“<em>Mitchell</em>.” she saw Beca stand upright with a heave, letting out a long heavy sigh then added, “Rebecca Mitchell.”</p><p>“Let me just check out back.” the employee of the hospital said with little compassion, and wandered away again, much to the disappointment of the young woman in the throws of labour.</p><p>“Don’t leave me!” Beca suddenly burst, reaching out to grab Chloe’s wrist. The redhead jumped at the surprising action, holding her arm out while Beca continued to cling to her whilst crippling over again and letting out a long low groan. Judging by Beca’s tight grip, that’d been a particularly painful contraction.</p><p>“I won’t leave.” Chloe replied, using her other hand to smooth back and forth across the brunette’s back, “I promise.”</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe had known she wanted children one day. It had always been ‘three kids’ since she was little, just like her mother had had three kids. But she’d never been told about the actual giving birth bit. That part, it seemed, was horrendous. And it had her doubting if she could ever do it one day.</p><p>As it stood, she was crouched beside Beca’s bed, a damp cool cloth in one hand while her other hand was clamped tightly by Beca’s hand. And the room was a hive of activity and noise as Beca laid back on her hospital bed, entirely exhausted, having been trying to push for six hours.</p><p>“You’re so close, Beca!” one doctor encouraged, but Chloe didn’t look over at them, entirely focussed on the woman in the bed before her. Beca flopped her head to the side to look up at Chloe vulnerably:</p><p>“I can’t do it.” Beca whined.</p><p>“You <em>can</em>, Beca!” Chloe urged. She’d heard someone within the group of medics saying that if the baby didn’t come in the next twenty minutes Beca would have to be whisked into surgery. And apparently (so she’d mentioned in the car over, and several times during her labour so far) Beca didn’t want that.</p><p>“If you don’t, you’ll have to go into surgery and you didn’t want that, remember?” Chloe said quietly, dabbing Beca’s forehead with the damp cloth. She must’ve said the right thing, because Beca turned back to the medical professionals gathered near her open legs.</p><p>“Okay.” she panted, nodding when they looked to her cautiously before instructing her clearly on what to do next.</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe’s mind felt numb as she felt her neighbour’s hand loosen in hers, the woman flopping back with a huge sigh of relief as the baby was finally born. A huge squeaky cry filled the room, and Chloe watched in awe as Beca’s baby was brought from between the woman’s legs, promptly wrapped in a warm blanket, and placed on Beca’s chest.</p><p>“Oh my Goddd, heyyy beautiful!” Beca cooed in an exhausted tone, before kissing her baby gently on the forehead, “Hey it’s your Mama heeere!”</p><p>Chloe felt a little uncomfortable, watching the magical moment from beside the bed. She had no real connection with Beca. Just a very loose one: they were neighbours and Chloe had happened to drive her here. And stand by her while she gave birth. But nothing more.</p><p>But suddenly Chloe felt a weird tug in her heart when she looked from the newborn to Beca. Beca who had taken a moment to look up at Chloe, a broad smile on her tired face, and tears in her eyes.</p><p>Both women were completely consumed by the special moment. Too consumed to realise that Beca was losing blood fast..</p><p>———</p><p>Four hours. It’d been <em>four hours </em>since Beca had been whisked away to surgery. And Chloe had remained frozen on a chair in the corner of the room. Her elbows rested on the arms of the chair, and she carefully held the newborn who was still wrapped in the blanket she had been first wrapped in shortly after her birth.</p><p>The redhead looked down at the baby in awe. Her chest felt tight and she had no idea what was going on with Beca nor what was going to happen. The doctors and nurses had left her alone in this room with this baby. A <em>stranger’s</em> baby. They’d just assumed she was Beca’s partner or friend or relative. What kind of hospital <em>was</em> this?</p><p>A light grunt sounded from the back of the baby’s throat, her little lips pouting as she slept, and Chloe felt her nose tingle, tears building in her eyes. She was tired. And confused. And very overwhelmed. What if Beca never came back? What if she <em>died</em>?? This beautiful little baby would go into care. Alone. Unloved. And Chloe would have to go back to her life again - along with a new void in it.</p><p>A tear slipped from Chloe’s eye, and she sniffed as she brought a hand out, tenderly smoothing her fingertip across the baby girl’s forehead then down to her sweet tiny nose. Four hours she’d been sat with this newborn. Four hours she’d slowly fallen more and more protective of her.</p><p>When a nurse had popped by a couple of hours ago, she had asked Chloe if she wanted the baby to go to the nursery for the rest of the night. But Chloe had no idea if it would be what <em>Beca</em> would want. So rather than allow the baby to be sent to a crib to lay alone, amongst loads of other cribs, watched over by a complete stranger, Chloe replied with a firm yet polite “No thank you.” Because from the moment Chloe had been handed the newborn, she felt a pull towards the little thing. It wasn’t exactly maternal (at least she didn’t think it was). But it was certainly a strong instinct to protect her.</p><p>“Your Mama’s gonna be back soon sweetheart.” she mumbled affectionately, trying not to cry too much. Her emotions were overwhelming her body, along with her exhaustion. “And when she is I’ll let you both have some proper time together.” she let out a shaky sigh, watching the newborn’s eyebrows twitch, and she wondered if the little girl could even dream yet.</p><p>“Do you like singing?” Chloe asked quietly, suggesting: “Because I like to sing? I could sing you a lullaby?”</p><p>And after a few beats, she took a deep shaky breath, and began to softly sing a lullaby her own mother had sung to her as a baby and child.</p><p>———</p><p>Chloe let out a gasp, immediately rising to her feet, when the doors of the room slammed open and Beca was wheeled back inside on her bed. She looked far better rested and had colour in her cheeks once more. She was drowsy though, and Chloe couldn’t help the huge wave of relief at the sight of the brunette raising a hand in greeting with a weak smile.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re still here.” Beca mumbled, though she looked noticeably relieved. And her eyes immediately fell to her baby in the woman’s arms.</p><p>Chloe waited for the nursing staff to finish fussing with Beca’s monitoring system and blood pressure cuff, then the moment they stepped out of the room she placed the baby in Beca’s arms. The brunette let out a huge exhale, a calm smile sweeping across her face.</p><p>“Hey beautiful.” the mother mumbled, and Chloe tugged her bottom lip between her teeth, rocking gently back and forth. Chloe hadn’t meant to feel what she felt. <em>Reluctance</em> to hand the baby over to her <em>actual</em> mother. Those five hours had resulted in Chloe bonding with the newborn. And she felt <em>so</em> guilty about it.</p><p>“So uh…” Chloe began, reaching for her phone that she’d left on the side, “…they were going to take her to the nursery overnight but I wasn’t sure if that was what you’d wanted so…I just held her.” she paused, her heart racing. What if Beca was mad at her? She desperately didn’t want that. She was tired and emotional and wasn’t sure she could handle being yelled at, “I hope that was okay.”</p><p>Beca looked over at Chloe slowly, a grateful expression on her face, “Oh God, yeah definitely. Thank you so much.”</p><p>Chloe let out an exhale of relief, her heart still racing but less because she was anxious and more because of the way Beca was looking at her. Chloe felt something for this stranger. Something she hadn’t felt before. And she had a feeling Beca felt the same way in return.</p><p>Beca seemed to have this way of looking into her eyes and through to her soul. And it gave Chloe a weird feeling of recognition. Almost as if they’d met in another life. Like their souls were entwined. Or destined to meet. Destined to be together.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Beca said in an embarrassed tone, shaking her head briefly as if shaking a thought from her mind, before looking back at Chloe with a mild blush to her cheeks, “I just realised, I don’t even know your name.”</p><p>“Oh.” Chloe tried to think back on everything they’d said to each other since the moment Beca had knocked on her door last night. And she soon recognised that the woman was probably right. “Chloe. My name’s Chloe.”</p><p>“Chloe.” Beca echoed gently, a calm smile returning to her face again, “Beautiful name.”</p><p>“I’ve always like it.” Chloe agreed with a nod, her smile quickly dropping as she motioned to the baby in Beca’s arms, “Not that I’m suggesting you name your daughter after me.” she added, and Beca’s eyebrows rose in surprise.</p><p>“Oh. No, I’m calling her Sophia.”</p><p>Chloe’s heart soared at the reveal. ‘Sophia’ suited the tiny newborn perfectly.</p><p>“But I don’t think I’ll ever ever be able to repay you for all that you’ve done tonight.” Beca said honestly, looking back up at Chloe with an expression that could only be described as ‘adoringly’.</p><p>“You can repay me by letting me drive you both home.” Chloe replied kindly. There was no way she’d be able to sit comfortably at home knowing Beca and Sophia were still in hospital. The woman she’d only known for several hours, but had already supported her in bringing a baby into the world. One of the biggest moments in someone’s life.</p><p>“Deal.” Beca agreed, before adding, “For now.”</p><p>As the two women smiled at each other, waves of comfort and calmness settled over their bodies. All until the door to the room creaked open and a nurse bustled inside to speak to Beca about breastfeeding…</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Jealousy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Western AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What makes you think I like women?”</p><p>The redhead’s eyebrow quirked, trying to resist a smile as her back pressed against the wooden panelled wall. Mere inches from her body stood renowned outlaw Beca Mitchell. An outlaw most wanted. An outlaw who consistently managed to slip into her husband’s saloon undetected, and find her alone upstairs.</p><p>“You haven’t complained before.” Beca responded with a cocky grin, bringing a hand up to press against the wall, her wrist resting against Chloe’s ear. Chloe could swear she could hear the woman’s pulse. She noticed the way the outlaw glanced down to her cleavage, and the smile Chloe had been trying to hide finally revealed itself.</p><p>Being this close to Beca excited her. The thought they could get caught at any moment excited <em>both</em> of them. And sure, there were complications (such as Chloe’s husband catching Beca and shooting her brains out) but this illicit affair had been occurring every couple of months for over a year now. There would be rumours in the saloon that the outlaw had returned in the night, Chloe’s husband and his band of ‘good-guy’ cowboys would saddle up, roaming the town and surrounding countryside for any sign of the woman. And while he was away for the day, Chloe would sit and hope that Beca would sneak in and take her on her marital bed. Sometimes the rumour really was only a rumour. Sometimes the rumour would be true and Beca would appear. Much like she had done moments ago.</p><p>“How far out has he gone?” Beca asked, her face leaning towards Chloe’s, talking about the redhead’s husband.</p><p>“He didn’t say.” Chloe replied quietly, her breath washing across Beca’s face.</p><p>“I’ll take the risk.” Beca mumbled in return, and her lips quickly sealed over Chloe’s. The kiss was firm. One that both women had longed for since Beca had escaped a couple of months back. The people of this town always wondered why Beca risked her life coming back here when she had such a high bounty on her head. Little did they know that it was all because of the beautiful redhead whose husband was both the owner of the town’s saloon, and vice-sheriff.</p><p>Chloe felt her heart racing with excitement, her mind consuming with lust for the woman she loved. A forbidden love. Her husband was a jealous man, always keeping her away from the prying eyes of the men that drank in the saloon. As far as he was aware, his wife was his. But little did he know, Chloe’s heart belonged to the gun-slinging outlaw who plagued the town with her presence only a few times a year.</p><p>Chloe lived for those times. And as she tugged the shirt from Beca’s body, greedily drawing her mouth to the woman’s left breast, she made sure she soaked up every precious moment she had with her lover. Completely unaware that her husband had actually just returned to pick up an extra gun..</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Wedding</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mafia AU</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A pool of dread washed over Beca’s body with the first gunshot fired. She was used to the sound. Of course she was. Being the daughter of a formidable mafia boss came with the curse of hearing gunfire at close proximity from a very young age. But the dread felt with it was unfamiliar.</p><p>She looked across the packed church and found a pair of bright blue eyes belonging to the one woman who could categorically <em>not</em> be here at her brother’s wedding. But if Chloe had turned up then it <em>must</em> be that her life was in danger. Because she and Chloe had begun a forbidden romance little over two years ago and impressively were yet to be found out.</p><p>Chloe had been a top officer for the local Police Department when she’d first met Beca. She’d had been so close to catching the brunette and arresting her and showing the chief of police that she was just as good a cop as her father had been. But Beca had got away, and a year of hunting down the runaway had ensued for the young officer. When they’d finally reunited, on the outskirts of the city, a deep conversation had been shared between them, and the two young women very quickly realised they had a lot in common. Chloe had let Beca go. It’d probably been because of the kiss but Beca would never know. All she knew was that since that night, she had become addicted to the redhead.</p><p>“It’s the fucking <em>cops</em>!” Beca heard one of her brothers hiss angrily, reaching inside his suit jacket for his pistol. Beca felt sick. As far as she was aware, her family didn’t know about her romance with the beautiful police officer. But that didn’t stop them from being angry with the cops. There’d been a history of the mafia not getting along with Police. How could they?</p><p>Beca looked over at where Chloe had been stood and her heart plummeted. Chloe was gone. But where?? Beca knew that so long as Chloe was with her, or at least in her line of sight while they were in her family’s church, that the redhead would be safe. Chloe out of sight meant she was in danger.</p><p>Once a mafia daughter, always a mafia daughter, and the brunette reached beneath her dress to pull out a gun of her own.</p><p>“I’ll stake out the back, just in case.” she muttered calmly to her brother as another gunshot was heard. The bridal party and wedding guests had all pulled out their own weapons, ready to take on the cops who, by the sounds of things, had surrounded the church and were beginning to infiltrate. It was the last thing Beca wanted. Too many lives were lost in crossfire, yes. But there would also be a massive risk that Chloe would be found by her colleagues to be ‘siding’ with the mafia. Beca had to get her out of there.</p><p>“Wait, that’s the front!” Beca heard her brother call out to her as she darted away from him in the direction she’d last seen Chloe stood. But she didn’t care which direction she’d said she was going in. At the end of the day, she just had to head for Chloe.</p><p>It felt unnerving. Not the sound of the crossfire. But the trail of blood she’d found herself following. It wasn’t excessive, but enough to be seen. And from the look of things, it was a leg wound.</p><p>To her horror she rounded a corner and, hidden between two pews that’d been chucked in a random small room out back, sat Chloe, pale and panting, grimacing in pain. Her left leg boasted a gunshot wound, in which blood was trickling from it. The look on Chloe’s face when she saw Beca dashing over to her was nothing but relief.</p><p>Beca fell to her knees, grabbing Chloe’s cheeks in both hands and cradling her face while looking deep into her tears-filled eyes:</p><p>“Are you okay?? What happened?” Beca begged more than enquired. In fact the questions were almost rhetorical. It was <em>obvious</em> Chloe wasn’t okay. It was <em>obvious</em> she’d been shot. What wasn’t obvious was who had shot her.</p><p>“It’s just a flesh wound.” Chloe tried to explain in as strong a voice as possible. But Beca knew this woman. She <em>knew</em> that Chloe was in more pain and discomfort than she was letting on.</p><p>“Here.” Beca quickly snapped her hands from her girlfriend’s face, grabbing a handful of material from her dress in one hand, and reaching for a blade she’d had strapped to her thigh. She hastily sliced some of the fabric off to fashion a bandage, “I’m gonna wrap this round your leg, okay? Then we’re getting out of here.”</p><p>She did as she’d said, wrapping the material tight around the wound, apologising when she pulled it tight to maintain some pressure in the hope that Chloe wouldn’t lose much more blood. Chloe yelped out in pain, then tried to steady her heavy breathing, reaching out to grab Beca’s dress and gain her attention.</p><p>“They know.” she burst, her chest heaving. And Beca looked to Chloe’s face, her stomach twisting. Who knew? “The Chief. My team. They know about you and me.” <em>Fuck</em>. “That’s why I came here. To warn you they were coming for you. Coming for all of you.”</p><p>“Did he shoot you?” Beca asked seriously, a cloak of darkness slowly creeping over her mood. Chloe had mentioned on many occasions how the Chief of Police had mistreated her over the years. Not to the extent that he’d ever <em>shot</em> her. But Chloe never seemed to feel safe around him - or so she’d said in the past.</p><p>The tiniest nod of Chloe’s head was all Beca needed to snap.</p><p>“I’m gonna kill him.” she immediately responded, and she stood bolt-upright suddenly, her gun now in her hand, her knife in the other. But alongside the gasp that left Chloe’s mouth, Beca felt hard metal press firmly against the back of her head. She knew what it was in an instant. The end of a gun.</p><p>“Not if I kill you first.” the cool male voice said slowly, and Beca swallowed loudly. “Did you really think you could get out of here alive, Mitchell? Did you really think you could get <em>Chloe</em> out of here alive?”</p><p>“Chief, <em>please</em>!” Chloe begged, tears rolling down her face as she continued to bleed. Beca saw the whites of her girlfriend’s eyes and her heart broke. There was nothing she could do. She couldn’t move to hold Chloe’s hand or comfort her in any way - doing so would result in her brains being blown out. Nothing could be done.</p><p>This was it. The end. And her brothers and father would berate her if they knew. They would tell her how crazy and reckless she was for having been so consumed by her love for this woman that she had completely missed the man hidden from both her and Chloe’s view. Poised, ready to finally catch and kill the criminal he’d been hunting for so long. The criminal Chloe had been protecting - sending her colleagues off the scent of the youngest Mitchell child.</p><p>“Shut up!” the man bellowed, “You’ve been a disgrace to this force since you joined, Chloe. Not once have you lived up to your father’s great reputation. And what’s worse, you’ve been protecting this bitch and her slimy family for years!” Chloe couldn’t deny what the man was accusing.</p><p>Suddenly a gunshot was sounded at close range and Chloe yelped in horror at the noise, followed by the way Beca dropped to her knees. But Beca hadn’t been shot. And as the brunette reached to grab her hands, telling her over and over that everything was okay, Chloe looked over Beca’s shoulder to see her boss dead on the floor, and one of Beca’s brother’s approaching, his gun still held out and now aimed at the redhead.</p><p>“No!” Beca barked, whipping round and quickly leaning into the line of fire to protect Chloe. “She’s alright. She’s been protecting me.” she tried to insist. Beca watched her brother hesitate, looking from one woman to the other and back again. He was conflicted, Beca could tell.</p><p>“Was that dude right?” he asked, not lowering his gun in the slightest, “Was she looking out for us?”</p><p>Beca nodded firmly, “For two years.”</p><p>Time felt like it’d slowed, and the two lovers had their hearts in their mouths waiting for the ultimatum. Gunfire sounded around them still, now increasing in frequency and volume. It was getting closer. Fortunately, eventually Beca’s brother lowered his gun.</p><p>“You’re gonna have to leave town, Beca.” he advised in a sad tone, “Dad’ll kill you if he finds out you’ve been sleeping with a cop.” It was true. Shocking, but true. Len Mitchell was ruthless. Anything to keep the family name from being tarnished.</p><p>“Quickly pack whatever you need from home, and escape town as soon as possible. Take your girlfriend too.”</p><p>Beca stood, taking a deep breath. He was giving her an out. He gave her a small purse-lipped smile and a curt nod. The brunette dove down, helping Chloe to her feet.</p><p>“Thanks Douggie.” she mumbled gratefully, and her big brother let out a sad sigh.</p><p>“I’ll hold ‘em off until you’re out. Then you’re on your own Bec. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Beca replied, her mind so full already she had no time to process that this was likely the final time she’d see her brother, “Good luck.”</p><p>“You too B.”</p><p>Beca held Chloe firmly, guiding her as they both stumbled away from Beca’s brother and to the secret hatch at the far end of the small room. A secret hatch that would hopefully lead them to Beca’s Aunt’s house. There she could take a car and some medical bits, then drive them home to quickly pack before escaping this corrupted city.</p><p>They’d set up a new life somewhere. Yeah. That’s what they’d do. She and Chloe..</p><h2>— Seven Years Later —</h2><p>“I hear there’s a couple of mobster families already in this city.” Chloe said conversationally, letting out a satisfied sigh as she stepped back and admired her handiwork. She and her wife had just put the finishing touches to their bakery shop. Nobody would ever suspect something as sweet as a bakery to be owned by mafia wives. Chloe, ever faithful, had stood by her wife’s side when Beca had admitted being a mobster was all she’d ever known. And she gently suggested they perhaps go into ‘money laundering’ instead of full on violence. Something that Beca had compromised on.</p><p>She saw her wife’s face light up, and the redhead shot her a warning look, “<em>No</em> violence.” Beca’s shoulders slumped and Chloe chuckled, stepping over to the woman and slinging an arm around her shoulder.</p><p>“Just a little bit?” Beca asked, bringing her hand up to measure an inch between her finger and thumb.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“What if they instigate it?”</p><p>Chloe hummed, her eyes squinting at her wife briefly, then she rolled them, compromising slightly, “Okay fine. If they instigate violence, you can be violent back.”</p><p>Their five year old son ran around the floor of the bakery with a toy gun in his hand making shooting noises. They’d brought him up on stories from Beca’s childhood. Of crossfires and rival gangs. Chloe couldn’t help the small chuckle fall from her mouth as Beca let out a hissed “Yesss” with a broad smile on her face.</p><p>Once a mafia boss’ daughter, always a mafia boss’ daughter..</p>
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